Lake Brownwood State Park: All Politics is Local !

EDITORIAL-Don't mess with Texas, except for its parks ?
EDITORIAL BOARD
Wednesday, March 22, 2006

It is deeply frustrating that a state that ostensibly reveres its history and purports to have an abiding love of the outdoors does so poorly by its parks and historic sites.
For years, the parks division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has been slighted by the state Legislature. A sales tax was passed to keep the parks and historic sites in good order, but it was capped, and now less than a third of the money goes to the parks division.
Although the statewide sales tax on sporting goods generates about $105 million annually, the parks division's portion of that is limited to $32 million. And in recent years, the division has not received that full amount as legislators grab the tax money for other expenses.
As an article this week by American-Statesman staff writer Mike Leggett showed, the results of this penurious policy are there for all to see. Parks are poorly maintained, camping is restricted and, in some cases, eliminated altogether. And some historic sites, in a state so enamored of its history and traditions, are open only a few days of the week.
Texas should do better. With one of the lowest percentages of parkland in the country, Texas has precious little open space for the public as it is. State leaders ought to insist upon a policy of keeping our precious parks in good condition and adding more parkland on a regular basis.
Parks are not just for today's enjoyment, they are an investment in the future. Land for parks will only become more expensive as time goes by, historic sites will only become more historic and the demand for outdoor space to enjoy will only grow.
Why the lawmakers continue to punish the state's parks with poverty is a mystery. The tax is there, paid for by people who hunt, fish, camp, bike, hike and otherwise enjoy nature. Limiting that money from the agency that maintains Texas' outdoor treasures is truly short-sighted.
When the Parks and Wildlife Department considered selling 46,000 acres of the Big Bend Ranch State Park to an adjoining landowner last year, it wasn't just an insider deal. It was a way for the department to earn money to spend on upkeep and acquiring new park land.
It's sad that the department had to resort to selling its own property for income, but it's good that the proposal caused an uproar. Maybe that desperate move will get the attention of a Legislature that seems oblivious to the needs of the state park system.
At the least, an effort by state Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville, to grant parks $85 million of the money generated by the sales tax on sporting goods should get serious consideration. The parks division needs a champion at the Capitol, a guardian angel to watch over the state parks and historic sites and see that they are properly funded, well-maintained and expanding.
source: http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/editorial/stories/03/22parks_edit.html